Storage pallets and drive means thereof

ABSTRACT

A horizontal circulation type of storage equipment having a plurality of horizontal rows of article carrying pallets arranged in a manner to provide a vacancy of pallet at one end of each of the pallet rows so that successive and alternate transfer of pallets can move a desired pallet to a predetermined station. Drive means for successively and alternately transferring the pallets in their longitudinal and lateral directions, pluralstoried storage equipment consisting of a stack of the above storage equipments, storage equipment provided with lift means, and coupling means for the pallets are described herein.

United States Patent Mizuno et al.

[4 1 May 16, 1972 I 541 STORAGE PALLETS AND DRIVE MEANS THEREOF [72] Inventors: Kaoru Mizuno; Tetsuo Kitamura; Shoichl Nakao; Takenhlko Yasuda; Aldo Ueno; Kyunojyo Yoshikawa; Takeo Yuminaka; Kazuhiro Sakata, all of Katsuta-shi, Japan [73] Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Mar. 23, 1967 [21] Appl. No.: 625,539

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 7, 1966 Japan ..41/11477 Oct. 14, 1966 Japan..... ...4l/95069 May 24, 1966 Japan..... ...41/4866l May 24, 1966 Japan ..41/48660 May 2, 1966 Japan ..41/40456 Jan. 11, 1967 Japan ..42/1769 Apr. 19, 1966 Japan ..41/2484] [52] US. Cl ....2l4/16.l CD, 74/464, 104/163 [51 Int. Cl ..E04h 6/06 [58] Field ofSearch ..238/122,l23,137,138,281;

287/64, 65, 103; 198/85; 74/464, 465; 2l4/l6.14 D,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,799 9/1930 Young ..198/85 La/19ml transfer L0ng/7ud/ha/ transfe 1,781,251 11/1930 Schwendt et a1... .238/281 1,969,419 8/1934 Martin ..2l4/l6.l 2,009,579 7/1935 Ewend 2 1 4/ 16.1 2,945,602 7/1960 Kroll et a1... ..214/ 16.1 2,970,413 2/1961 Miklosek ..214/l6.l 3,216,555 11/1965 Schelde ..2l4/l6.1

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,246,910 10/1960 France ..214/16.1 719,154 3/1942 Germany. .....214/16.l 74,245 ll/l960 France ..2l4/l6.l

Primary xaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-R. B. Johnson Attorney-Craig, Antonelli & Hill [57] ABSTRACT A horizontal circulation type of storage equipment having a plurality of horizontal rows of article carrying pallets arranged in a manner to provide a vacancy of pallet at one end of each of the pallet rows so that successive and alternate transfer of pallets can move a desired pallet to a predetermined station. Drive means for successively and alternately transferring the pallets in their longitudinal and lateral directions, pluralstoried storage equipment consisting of a stack of the above storage equipments, storage equipment provided with lift means, and coupling means for the pallets are described herein.

3 Claims, 37 Drawing Figures 18 Sheets-Sheet 2 Long/'fud/ha/ fmnsfer Lang/fucfiha/ Transfer Patented May 16, 1972 Patented May 16, 1972 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 16, 1972 r 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. /6

Patented May 16, 1972 18 Sheets-Sheet 9 Entrance +ex/7 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Shoot. IO

F/G. l9

18 Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 13 Patented May 16, 1972 $662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 1.4

Longifud/ha/ fransfer 27 Patented May 16, 1972 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,905

18 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 STORAGE PALLETS AND DRIVE MEANS THEREOF This invention relates to a horizontal circulation type of storage equipment having a plurality of horizontal rows of pallets for carrying an article, especially an automotive vehicle, on each pallet in which the pallets are arranged in a manner to provide a vacancy, at one end of each of the pallet rows so that successive and alternate transfer of pallets in their longitudinal direction (hereinafter to be referred to as longitudinal transfer) and in their lateral direction (hereinafter to be referred to as lateral transfer) in a manner to fill up such vacancies can move a desired article carrying pallet to a predetermined station. More specifically, this invention relates to a storage equipment of the type described having efficient drive means for causing the longitudinal and lateral transfer of pallets, lift means for use with such equipment, and coupling means for coupling the pallets in the form of a train. This invention further relates to a pluralstoried storage equipment comprising a stack of such storage equipments.

Vehicle parking apparatus of merry-go-round type, elevator type, elevator crane type and other types have heretofore been proposed in the art and put into practical use. However, all these prior vehicle parking apparatus have been defective in that they are expensive due to complex structure and have a low degree of space availability, that is, a great deal of dead spaces are involved therein. They have been further defective in that they have a low degree of safety in operation in view of their mechanism and a large power requirement is inevitable with such apparatus.

In an effort to eliminate these and other defects of the prior parking apparatus, a horizontal circulation type of vehicle storage equipment has been recently proposed which has a plurality of horizontal rows of pallets for carrying an automative vehicle on each pallet and in which the pallets are arranged in a manner to provide a vacancy at one end of each of the pallet rows so that successive and alternate transfer of pallets in their longitudinal and lateral directions, that is, longitudinal and lateral transfer in a manner to fill up the vacancies can move a desired vehicle carrying pallet to a predetermined station. While this horizontal circulation type of storage equipment has had excellent effects of eliminating the defects involved in the prior parking apparatus as described above, it has been still insufficient in its operation and there has been a demand for improvements in the structure and operation of this type of equipment.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide lateral transfer and longitudinal transfer means preferably used with such horizontal circulation type of storage equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide pallet shifting means preferably used with a case in which the vehicle entrance is disposed at a position remote from the pallet rows.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable means for providing communication between floor stages when such horizontal circulation type of storage equipments are stacked up to have a plurality of stories.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for coupling the pallets in the form of a train.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic plan view showing the basic principle of operation of a horizontal circulation type of storage equipment to which the present invention is directed, FIG. 1A showing the state of lateral transfer and FIG. 18 showing the state of longitudinal transfer.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a horizontal circulation type of storage equipment equipped with the lateral transfer means and longitudinal transfer means of the present invention and embodying the principle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a graphic representation of the relation between a speed and a transferred distance in the lateral transfer means of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the lateral transfer means.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a case in which only one lateral transfer means is provided for each pallet row.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of the longitudinal transfer means embodying the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged plan view showing the state of connection between an endless chain and a rail.

FIG. 14 is a partly cut-away side elevational view of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged front elevational view of the longitudinal transfer means.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a horizontal circulation type of storage equipment in which the vehicle entrance and exit is disposed at a position remote from the pallet rows.

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16, but showing the vehicle entrance and exit disposed at a position different from that of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a horizontal circulation type of storage equipment in which lift means is disposed at a position spaced one pallet pitch from the pallet row.

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view showing a two-storied structure of horizontal circulation type of storage equipment.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged perspective view showing the coupled state of adjacent pallets.

FIG. 21 is a front elevational view showing the coupled state of pallets when a pallet is moved upwardly by the lift means.

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view showing the coupled state of pallets when a pallet is moved downwardly by the lift means.

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing the position of the pallet coupling mechanism in each floor in the two-storied structure of storage equipment.

FIG. 24 is a general plan view of the two-storied storage equipment equipped with a different kind of lift means.

FIG. 25 is a sectional front elevational view of part of FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is a detailed plan view of the lift portion in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a partly sectional detail view showing the engaged state of a pallet and the lift means.

FIG. 28 is a general plan view of the two-storied storage equipment in which a further different kind of lift means is disposed in the pallet row.

FIG. 29 is a sectional side elevational view of FIG. 28 when the vehicle entrance and exit is disposed on the upper floor.

FIG. 30 is a sectional side elevational view of FIG. 28 when the vehicle entrance and exit is disposed on the lower floor.

FIG. 31 is a side elevational view of the lift means shown in FIG. 28.

FIG. 32 is a side elevational view showing the extended state of the lift means in FIG. 31.

FIG. 33 is a front elevational view of FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is a hydraulic circuit diagram used with the lift means shown in FIG. 31.

FIG. 35 is a detailed perspective view of another form of the pallet coupling mechanism.

FIG. 36 is an electrical circuit diagram of one form of stopping means employed in the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the basic principle of the horizontal circulation type of vehicle storage equipment in which it will be seen that vacancies corresponding to two pallet are provided at symmetrical ends of two horizontally arranged pallet rows and the pallets are successively and alternately transferred in their lateral direction as shown in FIG. 1A and in their longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. IB so that a desired pallet can be brought to a predetermined station.

At first, drive means for the lateral transfer will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. Vehicle carrying pallets l are arranged two horizontally parallel rows with eight pallets in each row, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and any two comer positions at symmetrical ends of the two pallet rows are 

1. A horizontal circulation type of storage equipment having a plurality of rows of pallets each capable of carrying an article, said pallets being arranged to provide a vacant space at one end of each of the pallet rows so that successive and alternate transfer of pallets in their longitudinal direction and in their lateral direction in a manner to fill up such vacancies will effect movement of the article carrying pallets to a predetermined station, comprising longitudinal transfer means positioned at each end of the pallet rows for effecting the transfer of said pallets from one row to an adjacent row, and lateral transfer means including a guide groove provided on the lower face of each pallet at right angles to the direction of lateral travel and a pair of pivot arms in each pallet row pivotable at the center thereof about a respective pivot point and having guidE rollers mounted on the respective ends thereof for engagement in said guide grooves, and drive means for imparting unidirectional rotary movement to said pivot arms so as to cause direct transfer of said pallets by one lateral transfer pitch of the pallet in the lateral direction by 180* rotation of said pivot arms, said guide rollers being mounted to make movement in said guide grooves in response to the rotary movement of said pivot arms to convert the circular movement of said pivot arms into linear movement in the lateral direction, said drive means including means for selectively effecting simultaneous rotation of said first and second pivot arms in opposite directions to progressively advance said pallets in the lateral direction with continued rotation of said pivot arms, each pair of pivot arms including first and second pivot arms pivotable at the center thereof with the guide rollers mounted on the corresponding ends of the respective first and second pivot arms engaging in a common guide groove, said pivot arms each having a length equal to the width of a pallet so that said lateral transfer pitch is equal to one pallet width, thereby providing for engagement by the rollers on respective ends of a pivot arm simultaneously with guide grooves on adjacent pallets.
 2. A horizontal circulation type of storage equipment according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal transfer means includes endless chains in meshing engagement with a pair of sprocket wheels, drive means connected to one of said sprocket wheels for driving said endless chains, and a plurality of movable rails fixedly mounted on said endless chains and having a length capable of carrying one of said pallets, and guide roller means including guide rollers secured to said movable rails for supporting said pallets on said endless chains, in which wedge-shaped stoppers are provided on the end of said movable rails to prevent drop-off of said pallets during the longitudinal transfer.
 3. A horizontal circulation type of storage equipment according to claim 1, including coupling means for coupling one pallet to another pallet disposed adjacent thereto, said coupling means comprising a U-shaped frame provided on one side of said pallet and a plate-like frame provided on the other pallet for engaging in said U-shaped frame, said U-shaped frame being provided with a cut-out for releasing the coupling therebetween when said plate-like frame is operated to make a vertical movement. 